George W. Dyer & Being a General

George Washington Dyer

1824-1889

George Washington Dyer, or "Geo W.D." as he usually signed himself, is one of our favorite people. A Bowdoin College graduate, he was practicing law in Calais, Maine and serving in the State Legislature when the war broke out. Appointed Aide-De-Camp to Governor Israel Washburn, he undertook a wide array of tasks for the State until the end of the war. He was sent to New Brunswick to purchase arms and he was liaison responsible for seeing that the early regiments mustering out of Portland were supplied with food, horse fodder, a myriad of supplies, proper passes, etc. Sometimes the boys would get a little out of hand when visiting the city and George would have to bail them out of jail. He later was the State's Agent for checking on towns in Washington County that had failed to meet their quotas for troops. He eventually fetched up as a Paymaster for Maine troops in the Army of the Potomac.

In the process of all this he became close friends with the Adjutant General, John L. Hodsdon, and his letters are increasingly frank, astute and usually hilarious. Perhaps we'll put some more of his letters on-line in the future. In the meantime here's what he felt was wrong with Ambrose Burnside!

Transcribed Copy of Letter

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